Gurugram, Apr 26 (IANS): After four patients died in Kathuria hospital here on Sunday allegedly due to shortage of medical oxygen, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Yash Garg, has ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident.
The matter will be investigated by Jitender Kumar, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Gurugram to find out the exact reason behind the deaths.
The district spokesperson said in a statement, "Despite sufficient Oxygen, four patients died in the hospital. The matter will be probed by the Gurugram SDM."
After the incident on Sunday, the relatives of some of the patients, who were admitted to the hospital, held a protest outside the building complex alleging there was a grave shortage of medical oxygen.
The hospital had also claimed that it didn't get oxygen supply despite repeated requests to the district administration and the health department.
"Oxygen crisis arose at the Kathuria Hospital at 11 a.m. on Sunday and the lives of 50 patients who were admitted at the hospital were at risk due to lack of supply of oxygen. Doctors and other staff tried to handle the patients but four serious patients died due to lack of oxygen," Dr A.K. Kathuria, director of the hospital said.
He had said the hospital has a per day consumption of 50 medical oxygen cylinders.
Dr Kathuria alleged that he had demanded oxygen from the district administration and the health department at around 6.00 a.m., at that time only 10 cylinders were left but the district administration did not pay heed to the request.
However, the district drug controller Amandeep Chauhan refuted the allegations made by hospital and said, "Oxygen demand was not sent to the drugs department from the hospital. When we received an information about lack of oxygen, two cylinders were sent to the hospital immediately".
"SDM will find out exact reason that led to these deaths. The hospital are claiming that there was oxygen crisis. However, from the administration's end, regular supply has been given. So, we are finding out where the gap arose, all this is being investigated," the DC said.
The Haryana has reported a surge in Covid cases and deaths during the current month. The demand for medical liquid oxygen has also increased in hospitals.